Being creative… in one way or another

I’ve been hit with a case of February blues (hey, I just invented it, leave me alone). I’ve finally recovered from my mystery virus that lasted most of January, but I don’t feel fully up to speed yet.

Part of my problem is that I just can’t say no to after work plans. I feel too guilty if I just try and stay in and do nothing. But my brain and body need some recovery time.

I’ve lost the energy to sew right now too. I’m doing 15mins here and there and progress is very slow.

This week I was busy with Mr AR’s birthday! Surely a good reason not to sew?

On Friday we took a day trip to The Deep submarium in Hull. What’s a submarium you cry? Why it’s a submerged aquarium!

We saw beautiful and amazing sea creatures (e.g. a blue yabba lobster and tiny moon jellyfish) and went in the glass bubble elevator that lifts you through one of the large tanks. This let us see some of the sharks (the birthday boy’s favourites) up close in all their toothy glory.

Thanks to years of watching my mother work her magic, I’m not too bad with my baking. I’ve posted some baking related items before on the blog (here and here).

Mr AR’s favourite is chocolate cake… who can blame him. I have a go to sponge recipe perfect for my 7″ cake tins. To add something more to it I made strawberry butter cream frosting and used strawberry jam in the centre of the cake as well. Mmmm chocolate strawberry cake.

Keeping with the aquatic theme I used fondant icing in blue, grey and red to create a Jaws style attack scene.

And just for fun I created a gif of it all coming together! Hope you like it.

If anyone is interested in the cake recipe I used or some scintillating facts on the development of blue lobsters, get in touch!